To create network automation products and smart solutions they need most, Ensto’s mission is to listen carefully.
Distribution system operators (DSOs) find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Their utility networks are confronted with challenges never before seen in history: in the face of global warming, there is pressure to reduce our carbon footprint and to increase grid resilience yet, at the same time, consumers are using more energy than ever before.
Each year, regulatory bodies impose stricter requirements on DSOs for quality of electricity, measured by the SAIDI and SAIFI indices, and each year DSOs must lower the duration and frequency of interruptions and reduce the number of customers impacted. Given limited resources, they must choose their battles carefully, implementing the right solutions, those which can deliver the greatest impact. Those unable to reach the SAIDI/SAIFI levels agreed with regulators risk high financial penalties and the dissatisfaction of end-users.
Helping Utilities Carry the Load
Network automation and smart technologies can solve the above-mentioned problems for DSOs. But to modernize an entire network is cost prohibitive, and so DSOs must make sure their investments in technology, as well as their linemen in the field, are in the right places.
Ensto sees its ultimate role as a facilitator in helping the DSOs move from fault-driven maintenance to where they can predict the faults and optimize the costs and resources needed for daily operation. As the personnel costs are growing, it is not cost-efficient or reasonable to have teams roaming around checking equipment conditions and looking for faults. DSOs can’t do all the maintenance themselves. Over the past 65 years, Ensto has gained experience and expert knowledge in helping DSOs reduce costs with smart solutions.
Network Automation and Smart Solutions
In a “dumb” network, a tree falls on a line in a medium voltage network, and the DSO's linemen must drive around the countryside looking for the fault. In this situation, the average outage duration is several hours. In a smart network, a tree falls on a line causing a fault, a sensor recognizes this, a load breaking switch and recloser isolate the faulty section and almost simultaneously send a report to the DSO’s SCADA where the FLISR (Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration) system protects the wider part of the network. The area without electricity is reduced to a minimum, the network is reconfigured in tens of seconds, the linemen know where to go, and the duration of the complete outage is significantly shortened.
Network automation can be seen as a group of devices with which the network behavior can be managed. In this group of devices, there are sensors to collect measurements, RTUs, and central energy monitoring systems which analyze collected data and transmit it to SCADA so the DSO knows what’s wrong or what’s at risk and where. In addition, a smart network can, based on data, adjust, reconfigure, and even auto-repair itself. Network automation and smart solutions are natural choices, but they require long-term investments and integration.
Smart Solutions from France
The historic precursor of some of Ensto's solutions is a simple air switch disconnector with no smart functions, based on which the company developed products with more capacity and all-weather capabilities. One of these products is Auguste which ensures that a network is open so repairs can be made with full safety. Produced by Ensto in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France, Auguste is the only load-break switch on the market with the safe advantage of an embedded voltage transformer. Auguste can operate with 630 amps and is a very popular export product all over the world, especially in Europe and Africa.
The Ensto team in France also produces the Smartcloser, a circuit breaker that is smart. It automatically determines where the fault is and tries to reinstall the network itself. For instance, if a tree branch brushes the line or there’s a bird on it, the recloser can reinstall the network alone. The Smartcloser is robust in capacity: it can break power up to 12,500 amps, which is 20 times more than Auguste’s capacity.
Another advancement is in cybersecurity. Today, there are highly accurate sensors installed around the switch that collect data and at the bottom of poles, control cabinets that in turn manage the data collected. These E-RTU cabinets observe the network and use amperometric and directional techniques to determine faults. Ensto uses a cybersecurity system for transferring the data to the SCADA system and making sure the clients are not subject to a cyberattack. The products are well protected and follow the IEC 62351 standard.
Solutions from the Nordic Markets
Farther north, Ensto in Finland also has a whole arsenal of products to make the networks smart. On the safety side, Ensto Protrol, a Sweden-based company that Ensto acquired in 2021, produces fault detectors for over current and earth fault, with integrated remote terminal unit functionality.
"Protrol has a patented algorithm that is very accurate," says Harri Tuononen, Sales Manager, Network Automation, Ensto Finland. "It uses only phase current measurements by affordable split core current transformers to detect earth faults directionally and selectively. It has many other functions and features, such as automatic fault isolation and a transient fault recorder. It is the only fault indicator of its kind I've seen that works flawlessly. It is everything you need outside the primary substation."
Arcteq Relays, a part of Ensto Group, is a Finnish company that makes protection relay products for global markets. "For decades Finland has been at the top when it comes to the protection relay," says Tuononen. "I worked 10 years in primary substation and network automation commissioning and programming, and Arcteq is one of the simplest and easiest products to use. It is very accurate. Its arc protection is great."
The latest technologies used in Arcteq's relays give engineers a completely new range of solutions for any protection and control application, from utilities and power plants to wind power and heavy industry applications (offshore, marine), as well as industrial and institutional electrical systems.
Ensto in Finland also excels in the development of power quality, which makes improvements in the low voltage grid power. A Phase Balancer mitigates voltage unbalance in low voltage distribution networks and improves safety at the same time. It is an easy and cost-effective way to enjoy safe and balanced electricity without worrying about light flicker or overloaded networks. A communication interface enables remote device and power quality condition monitoring and improves low voltage network observability.
Listening Matters Most
Despite the array of products being impressive, the main challenge still is to keep things simple for the customer. There are many smart devices on the market that are too complicated. A good smart product is easy to use for the end-users and the logic and analysis need to be used more locally; in places where the issues are present. The products must support the users with as much useful data as possible without requiring them to be IT experts.
One of Ensto’s goals is customer centricity: the company stands on the customer’s side at the local level. The connections with line workers are good, which means that Ensto listens to their opinions about products, and the challenges they face. After all, it is the line worker who installs and maintains the products.
It is possible to imagine a sci-fi future for smart networks. Ensto has already begun to investigate possible applications for artificial intelligence and machine learning in its products. Also, there is interest in the Cloud. If the data is only put in the cloud and big computation power is used to make analysis, just one side of the coin is seen. Ensto wants to use its decade-long presence on its markets to enable local analysis based on long-term experience. DSO customers expect a fast response. When the analysis is made locally and intelligence is brought to end devices and groups of devices, the response truly is the fastest possible. Overall, the added value of really smart products is seen across DSO’s entire daily operations.